Sink Or Swim?

July 15, 1999|DAVID O'BRIEN

FIVE STEPS FORWARD

1 Alex Fernandez is a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. He has posted a team-best 3.06 ERA in 15 starts after missing the 1998 season recovering from shoulder surgery. "His contributions to this club and the pleasure you derive seeing him being able to pitch and his improvement, it's been unbelievable,'' manager John Boles said. "Not even Alex Gonzalez at shortstop has been as gratifying as Alex Fernandez and his rehabilitation. I'm amazed at how good a pitcher he is, having gone through what he went through. And I can't wait for him to get all the way back. I think he's close.''

2 Alex Gonzalez has made the Marlins' decision to trade Edgar Renteria in December look prescient. At 22, he is only the second rookie shortstop to be selected to a National League All-Star team and a leading candidate for NL Rookie of the Year. Already better defensively than Renteria, he is batting .291 with 39 RBI, and his next home run will give him 10, or double Renteria's career high.

3 Preston Wilson emerged as a legitimate major league power hitter, taking advantage of an opportunity when center fielder Todd Dunwoody was demoted to Triple-A Calgary. Wilson still needs to reduce the strikeouts and improve defensively, but he has the tools to be successful. He leads all rookies with 17 home runs and his ratio of one every 15 at-bats ranks among the overall NL leaders.

4 Kevin Millar and Bruce Aven showed that perseverence can be golden. Both came to spring training as non-roster invitees closer in age to 30 than 20. Now the two aging rookies rank among the NL leaders in several clutch-hitting categories. Aven leads the Marlins with 47 RBI in just 187 at-bats, and Millar is batting .343 and leads the majors with a .478 average with runners in scoring position.

FOR THE RECORD - PUBLISHED FRIDAY, JULY 16, 1999Due to a reporting error, Steve Trachsel's team was incorrect on page 3C of Thursday's editions. Trachsel pitches for the Chicago Cubs. We regret the error.

5 Luis Castillo rewarded Boles' trust by showing he could be a quality big-league second baseman and leadoff hitter. The physical talent was never questioned, but Castillo's weak hitting and mental mistakes derailed his career and prospect status under Jim Leyland. He is a different kid under Boles, who manages to stroke Castillo's confidence and correct faults without crushing his fragile psyche.

SIX STEPS BACK

1 The Marlins sent three pitching prospects to the Yankees to get third baseman Mike Lowell in February. Lowell was diagnosed with testicular cancer three weeks later and had surgery on the eve of spring training. He missed two months of baseball and is only now recovering the strength that helped him hit 56 home runs and drive in 191 runs over two seasons. His recovery has been courageous, but Lowell probably won't be at full strength until next season.

2 If there is such thing as the sophomore jinx, it swallowed first baseman Derrek Lee and center fielder Todd Dunwoody. They were demoted to Triple-A Calgary in May, Lee lugging a .190 average with 55 strikeouts in 158 at-bats, Dunwoody a .214 average with one home run and 32 strikeouts in 126 at-bats. Lee has made strides recently at Calgary and could be back sometime this summer, but Dunwoody may have a hard time regaining a roster spot before September. He could be traded in light of the emergence of Wilson.

3 Catcher Jorge Fabregas was supposed to give the Marlins a sharp upgrade over Gregg Zaun. He has been a disappointment calling games and blocking balls and a first-half bust with the bat. FYI: Since April 26, 1988, Fabregas has batted .188 with four home runs and 30 RBI in 288 at-bats with three teams (Arizona, New York Mets, Marlins). In that same period, Zaun has batted .187 with four home runs and 31 RBI in 331 at-bats with the Marlins and Texas.

4 Seven pitchers have made starts for the Marlins, and Fernandez is the only one with a starter's ERA under 4.50. Livan Hernandez has not provided the improvement the Marlins hoped for when they dropped him to second in the rotation with Fernandez's return, and Brian Meadows and Dennis Springer have each lost 10 games, more than anyone except the White Sox's Steve Trachsel (12).

5 The bullpen was expected to be a strength but has been shaky most of the season. Situational left-hander Vic Darensbourg, who had a 2.16 ERA after the All-Star break in 1998, has an 8.10 ERA in 44 appearances this season. RHP Brian Edmondson, another returner who was being counted on, has a 7.99 ERA in his past 23 games.

6 Cliff Floyd, coming off his first healthy full season and career-best numbers that included 45 doubles, 22 home runs and 27 stolen bases, has been plagued again by injuries. He has seven homers and three stolen bases (in nine attempts) in 46 games. He missed the first three weeks of the season after knee surgery and went back on the disabled list June 20 with a tear in his right Achilles' tendon. Floyd isn't expected to play before late August.